Problem definition

The XYZ Corporation's system administrator is having a routine, mid-week work day. Normal system processing is occurring as the system is running fine. Response time is good, and the users are very pleased.

Unexpectedly, the system's performance begins to decline rapidly. The system administrator begins receiving end-user calls. The complaints are all the same: Transactions are not going through, and data entry tasks cannot be completed. Even simple look-up activities are failing.